Air-compressor.



J. R.- INTER-0W8.-

AIR COMPRESSOR.

APP-LIOATION mum r3125, 1910 Patented 0ct.18,1910:

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. R. BURROWS.

AIR. COMPREfiSOR- APPLIUATION FILED rmms, 1910,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Oct. 18,

JARVIS R. BURROWS, OF C1-IICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AIR-COMPRESSOR.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JARVIS R. Bnnnows, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements in Air-Compressors, of which the following is a full, clear, and precise specification.

My invention relates to air compressors, particularly to such compressors for generating flow of air or gas to burners such as the points of pyrographic tools or of cautery tools.

My invention is particularly adaptable in air compressors in which two tanks are provided having communication at their lower ends and adapted to be raised and lowered so that a given volume of fluid can alternately flow from one tank to the other to compress the air in the lower tank and to drive the air therefrom.

Important features of my invention are to provide improved means for adjusting the relative positions of the tanks so that the Water can flow from a raised tank to a lower tank; to provide improved valve mechanism for automatically adjusting the connections of the tanks with atmosphere and with the instrument or device to which air or gas is to be supplied; and to provide for the automatic control of the valve mechanism by the movements of the tanks.

In general the object of my invention is to provide a portable, simple and automatically cooperating and controlled mechanism for supplying pressure for instruments or devices such as ref-erred to.

My improved system and mechanism and the operation thereof are clearly described in the following specification and illustrated on the accompanying drawings, in which drawings- Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic front view of one embodiment of my invention in which the cans are manually adjusted, Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the cans, Fig. 3 shows controlling valve mech-v anism partly in section, Fig. 4 1s a more or less diagrammatic front elevation showing a modified arrangement of can adjusting and Valve controlling mechanism, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the can and valve controlling mechanism, Fig. 6 is a view of the can and valve controlling mechanism looking from the under side, the valve body being in diametrical section, Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the can and valve controlling mechanism taken from Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1910.

Patented Got. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 545,931.

the right side, parts thereof being in vertical diametral section, Fig. 8 is a view of the valve mechanism taken from plane 8S, Fig. 5, and Fig. 9 is a view taken from plane 99, Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the mechanism comprises two cans 1 and 2 connected flexibly together at their bottoms b r hose or other flexible tube 3. Each can ias a V- shaped bail frame 41 formed of wire comprising two arms 5 and 6, the arm 6 having a grip 7 which makes this arm slightly heavier than the arm 5. A rod 8 extends diametrically across the top of the can and passes through eyelet-s 9 extending from the can, the ends 10 deflecting downwardly to form hooks for receiving the bends of the bail frame. Just above the bends the sides of the arm 5 are bent to form loops 11 for receiving the hooked ends 12 of an auxiliary bail 13, the auxiliary bails of the cans being secured to the ends of a cord 141 which passes over pulleys 15 and 16 secured to the under side of a table or support 17. Adjacent the pulleys 15 and 16 hooks l8 and 19 extend downwardly from the table with their ends pointing outwardly, as shown. Between the pulleys valve mechanism 20 is supported from the table and comprises a valve body 21 and a valve plug 22 having passageways 23 and 24. Leading from the body part are nipples 25 and 26 for connecting with hoses 27 and 28 leading to the upper parts of cans 1. and 2 respectively, while nipple 29 connects with hose 80 and nipple 31 connects with atmosphere. The hose 30 in practice connects with any mechanism or device where air or gas under pressure is desired, as for example, a pyrographic outfit P. A valve lever 32 connects with the valve plug and upon turning of this lever the passageways 23 and 241 are shifted to connect one of the can hoses 27 and 28 with atmosphere and the other with the supply hose 30. When the'mechanism is to be used one of the cans, as for example, can 1, is filled with water, the other can being empty. The bail grip of the filled can is then grasped and the can raised toward the hook 18, this lifting of the can causing the bail arm 5 thereof to be swung inwardly so that it can be readily engaged with hook 18. This upward move ment of the can also brings the arm 5 against the left end of the valve lever to swing this lever to the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the top of can 1 connects with atmosphere and can 2 connects with supply pipe 30. In the supply pipe 30 is included a valve 33 and as soon as this valve is opened air can flow from can 2 through the valve and through the pyrographic mechanism, the water then flowing from can 1 through tube 3 and into can 2 to exert pressure on the air in can 2. As soon as the weight of can 2 exceeds that of can 1 can 2 will move down a distance suflicient to raise can 1 to carry the arm 5 above the end of the hook 18 whereupon the heavier bail arm 6 of this can will drop downwardly to swing arm 5 outwardly away from the hook, and then when can 1 is empty the operator grasps the grip bail arm 6 of can 2 and raises this can, this raising of the can causing the arm 5 thereof to swing inwardly to readily engage the hook 19 when the can has been raised, the arm 5 also striking lever 32 and swinging this lever in counterclockwise direction to shift the valve plug to cause can to connect with atmosphere and can 1 to connect with the supply pipe 30. Thus each can in its upper position is automatically released from its supporting hook so that the lower can can be quickly raised to its upper position. The same volume of water thus flows alternately from one can to the other and can be used over and over again, there being absolutely no waste, and all the adjustments are automatically accomplished by the mere lifting of a can from its lower to its upper position. In order to hold sufficient air to carry the operation of the mechanism P over the period when a can is being raised, an elastic reservoir 3 f is tapped on to pipe 30 and accumulates sufiicient air or gas to maintain the apparatus P in operative condition during the adjusting period of the cans.

In Figs. l to 9 is shown a modified arrangement in which by means of a crank arm 35 the cans can be quickly adjusted, the adjustment of the valve mechanism being simultaneously automatically controlled. The crank shaft 36 extends horizontally below the table or support 17 and to its inner end a hub 37 is secured by a set screw 38, this hub carrying a wedge-shaped cam 39 extending radially therefrom. lVithin this hub and adjacent thereto a disk 10 is rotatably mounted on the crank shaft and between this disk and a collar 11 is mounted a drum .2 whose inner end has notches 13 receiving teeth or lugs 4% extending from the disk 10 so that the disk and drum must rotate together. Pivoted on the inner face of the disk near its periphery and at opposite sides of the cam are similar dogs and 46, the ends 47 and 48 of the dogs curving inwardly toward the cam. Extending also from the inner face of the disk are pocket lugs 1-9 and 59 receiving compression springs 51 and 52 which abut against the inner sides of the heels and 5st of the dogs 15 and -16 respectively, these springs tending to hold the points of the dogs against or in the path of the cam 39, and to hold the heels of the dogs in a position overlapping the edge of disk 40, as best shown in Fig. 9. An arcuate plate 55 is held to the disk by a screw 56, its ends engaging the lugs 49 and 50 to lock the springs therein. The inner end 36 of the crank shaft extends a distance beyond the hub 37 and extends part way through the hub 57 from which radiate arms 58, each of which carries at its end a pin 59, the pins extending across the periphery of the disk 40. The inner end of hub 57 is polygonal on its interior to receive the polygonal end or lug 60 on a valve plug 61, this valve plug fitting in a valve frame 62 and held therein by a washer 63 and screw 64. The valve frame is secured to a bar 65 which is secured to the under side of the table 17, the hub 57 supported by the valve plug then forming the inner bearing for the crank shaft, whose outer end journals in a bearing lug 65 extending downwardly from the table, as shown in Fig. 1. Extending from the valve plug in front of the valve frame are stop pins 66 and 67, abutments 68 and 69 for these pins being formed on the valve'body, as best shown in Fig. 8. Through the valve body are the diametrically opposite passageways 70 and 71 which extend a distance through nipples 72 and 73 for receiving a flexible conductor. Adjacent the passageway 71 is another passageway 7st extending through a nipple 75 adapted for connection with a flexible conductor, and diametrically opposite the passageway 74 the valve body has a passageway 76 leading to atmosphere. The valve plug on diametrically opposite sides has longitudinal grooves 77 and 78 whose ends terminate in the planes of the passageways 71 and 74:. Extending circumferentially in opposite directions from the ends of groove 77 are grooves 79 and 80, and extending c-ircumferentially in opposite directions from the ends of groove 78 are the grooves 81 and 82. In the positions shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the pin 67 is against abutment 69 and groove 77 connects pas sageway 70 with atmosphere passageway 76, and groove 78 connects passageways 71 and 74. Upon clockwise rotation of the valve plug (Fig. 8) to carry pin 66 against abutment 68, passageway 7 0 will connect with passageway 74 through grooves 79, 77 and 80, and passageway 71 will connect with atmosphere passageway 76 through grooves 81, 78 and 82. As illustrated in Fig. at, the nipple 72 connects with hose 83 leading to the top of can 1, and nipple 73 connects with hose 8% leading to the top of can 2, while nipple 7 5 connects with supply hose 30 leading to apparatus P. Therefore, with the positions shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the

upper part of can 1 connects with atmosphere and the upper part of can 2 connects with supply pipe 80. If the valve plug is now rotated to carry pin 67 against abutment 69 the upper part of can 2 will be connected with atmosphere and the upper part of can 1 will be connected with the pipe 30 through the paths before traced.

Cans l and 2 are suspended from the ends of a cord which passes over pulleys 86 and 87 and which takes a number of turns 88 about the drum 42 so that upon rotation of the drum one of the cans will be raised and the other lowered. The movement of the valve plug to shift the connections with the apparatus from one can to the other is very small as compared with the amount of rotation of the drum necessary to raise a can from its lower to its upper position, and the cam and dog mechanism cooperating with the pins 59 on the arms extending from hub 57 are provided for enabling any amount of rotation of the crank shaft to operate the drum, but causing only sufficient rotation of the valve plug to properly set the valve mechanism from one position to the other.

The operation can readily be understood. Suppose that can 1 is full of water and can 2 empty. Can 1 is therefore exerting a downward pull on the cord, which tends to rotate the drum in a counterclockwise direction, or as indicated by arrows on the different figures. This rotational pull on the drum is transmitted to the teeth 44, disk 40 and dogs 45 and 46, the heel of dog a6 engaging against the pin 59 (Fig. 7), the pin 66 on the valve plug being held against its abutment 68 to maintain the valve conditions to connect can 1 with atmos here and can 2 with the apparatus P. A ter can 1 is empty the crank arm is turned to rotate the crank shaft in counterclockwise direction, and the cam 39 connected with the crank shaft will immediately turn and will engage with the point of dog 46 to deflect this point outwardly and to draw in the heel 54: thereof away from pin 59 and the crank arm can be turned any amount until can 2 has been brought to its upper position, the heel of dog 46 during all such turning being held inwardly away from the pins, while the heel 53 of dog 45 glides by these pins against the pressure of its spring 51, and during such turning the pin frame remains stationary to hold the valve mechanism in the position shown. After can 2 has been raised sufficiently the crank is released and the weight of can 2 will then exert downward pressure on the cord 85, this having a tendency to rotate the drum in a clockwise direction. The dog 15 will now travel in the opposite direction, and its heel 53 will abut against the pin 59* which is the pin past which the dog last glided upon its movement in counterclockwise direction. The pin frame is thus coupled with the drum and further downward movement of the can 2 will cause rotation of the pin frame and valve plug until stop pin 67 strikes abutment 69, whereupon the drum will be locked against further rotation. This rotation of the valve plug will change the valve conditions so that can 2 will be connected with atmosphere and can 1 be connected with the apparatus P. lVhen can 2 becomes empty the crank arm is rotated in clockwise direction, whereupon the cam 39 swings dog 45 to release its heel 53 from pin 59 so that the crank arm and drum can be rotated any amount to carry can 1 to its upper position, the heel 5 1 of dog 46 during such turning gliding past the ins. When the can 1 has been raised su ciently the crank lever is released and the weight of can 1 will tend to rotate the drum in reverse or counterclockwise direction, but the heel 54- encounters pin 59 and the pin frame is carried with the drum and the valve plate is rotated until its stop pin 66 encounters the abutment 68, whereupon the drum is locked and the valve conditions again shifted so that tank 1 connects with atmosphere and tank 2 again connects with the apparatus P. Thus by merely turning the crank any distance in either direction either can can be raised and the valve plug will be turned automatically just a sufficient distance to shift the valve conditions correspondingly. The water flows from the higher to the lower can and is used over and over again, there being absolutely no waste. By means of the valve 33 the pressure to apparatus P can be controlled and the bulb 3% takes on a suflicient charge to maintain the operation of the apparatus during the period that the crank mechanism is operated to adjust the cans, and the apparatus will, therefore, operate uniterruptedly. In pyrographic work, as heretofore operated, the operator could use only one hand, as the other was busy in pressing the bulb to maintain the pressure. In my apparatus both hands are free, the pressure is much more constant, the cans can be adjusted in a very short time, and the apparatus operates uniformly and continuously. If it is desired to no longer use the apparatus, valve 83 is closed and the flow of water stops owing to the pressure in the lower tank.

Any fluid could be used in the tanks. the arrangement shown the apparatus P includes a carbureter o, and water is preferably used in the cans to compress air in the lower tank, which compressed air flows through the carburetor to mix with the gas therein to form the combustion mixture. This carbureter might, however, be entirely dispensed with and some volatile oil such as benzin or gasolene used in the tanks instead of water, in which case the vapor from the oil flowing into the lower tank will mix with the air in this tank, and the mixture issuing from the supply outlet will be ready for immediate use.

I do not desire to be limited to the precise construction and arrangement which I have shown, as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I, therefore, desire to secure the following claims by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, two tanks connected together at their lower ends for the interflow of fluid, means whereby one of said tanks may be raised and the other lowered, valve mechanism having connection with the tops of said tanks and provided with a delivery outlet and a relief inlet, and adjusting means for said valve mechanism controlled automatically upon vertical adjustment of said tanks to effect connection of the upper tank with the relief inlet and connection of the lower tank with the delivery outlet, whereby fluid in the upper tank flows into the lower tank to drive air or gas from said lower tank through said valve mechanism and through said delivery outlet.

2. In combination, two tanks connected together at their lower ends for the interflow of fluid, valve mechanism connected with the upper ends of the tanks and having a delivery outlet and a relief inlet, means whereby relative vertical adjustment may be effected between said tanks inclependently of the valve mechanism, and means operable during relative adjustment between the tanks for effecting operation of the valve mechanism to connect one of said tanks with the relief inlet and the other tank with the delivery outlet, whereby a volume of fluid is adapted to flow from the higher to the lower tank to force air or gas from the lower tank through the valve mechanism and through the delivery outlet.

3. In combination, two tanks connected together at their lower ends for the interflow of fluids, valve mechanism connected with the upper parts of the tanks and having a relief inlet and delivery outlet, controlling lever mechanism for said valve mechanism, means for effecting relative vertical adjustment of the tanks independently of said lever mechanism, and means automatically controlled upon vertical adjustment of the tanks for effecting a slight movement of the lever mechanism whereby the valve mechanism is actuated to connect the higher tank with the relief inlet and the lower tank with the delivery outlet, whereby a volume of fluid may circulate successively from the higher to the lower tank to drive gas from the lower tank'through the valve mechanism and delivery outlet.

t. In combination, two tanks connected together at their lower ends for the interfiow of fluid, means whereby one of said tanks may be raised and the other simultaneously lowered, valve mechanism connected with the tops of the tanks and having a relief inlet and a delivery outlet, and means automatically controlled when one of said tanks reaches its upper position to actuate the valve mechanism to connect said raised tank with the relief inlet and to connect the lower tank with the delivery outlet, whereby a volume of fluid may successively flow from the upper tank into the lower tank to drive gas from said lower tank through the valve mechanism and de livery outlet.

5. In combination, two tanks connected together at their lower ends for the interflow of fluid, valve mechanism connected with the upper ends of the tanks and having a delivery outlet, said valve mechanism being adapted for limited movement sufficient only to connect either tankwith the delivery outlet, means whereby said tanks may be relatively vertically adjusted, and means operable during a short period of such relative adjustmentto cause actuation of the valve mechanism and to connect the lower tank with the delivery outlet, whereby a given volume of fluid may successively flow from the higher into the lower tank to force gas from the lower tank through the valve mechanism and delivery outlet.

6. In combination, two tanks communieating together at their lowerends for the inter-flow of fluid, means for simultaneously raising one tank and lowering the other whereby a given volume of water may successively circulate from the upper into the lower tank, and valve mechanism having connection with the tops of the tanks and automatically actuated by the raised tank to be adjusted to control the flow of compressed gas from the lower tank.

7. In combination, two closed suspended tanks having communication with each other at their lower ends for the interflow of fluid, means for raising either tank above the other whereby a given volume of fluid may flow from the higher into the lower tank to compress gas in the lower tank, valve mechanism connected with the tops of the tanks and having a relief inlet and a delivery outlet, and actuating mechanism for said valve mechanism engaged by the raised tank to be automatically set to connect said tank with the relief inlet and the lower tank with the delivery outlet.

8. In combination, a drum, two tanks sus pended from a cord looped about said drum so that rotation of said drum will cause one tank to be raised and the other lowered, said tanks having communication at their lower ends whereby a volume of water may flow from the higher into the lower tank,

valve mechanism connected with the tops of the tanks and having a relief inlet and a delivery outlet, a crank shaft mounting said drum, coupling mechanism associated with said .drum and crank shaft and adapted upon rotation of said crank shaft to disconnect the drum from said valve mechanism whereby said drum may be rotated to effect relative vertical adjustment of the tanks independently of the valve mechanism, and means whereby reverse rotation of said drum will cause the coupling mechanism to connect the drum with the valve mechanism whereby said valve mechanism will be actuated to connect the top tank with the relief inlet and the lower tank with the delivery outlet.

9. In combination, a drum, two tanks suspended from a cord looped about said drum so that rotation of said drum will effect relative vertical adjustment of the tanks, said tanks communicating at their lower ends whereby a given volume of water may successively flow from the upper into the lower tank, valve mechanism connected with the upper ends of the tanks and with a delivery outlet, and means automatically controlled upon rotation of said drum to actuate the valve mechanism to connect the lower tank with the delivery outlet.

10. In combination, a shaft, a drum mounted on said shaft, two tanks suspended from a cord looping about said drum whereby rotation of said drum will raise one tank and lower the other, coupling mechanism connecting with the drum and shaft, valve mechanism communicating with the upper ends of the tanks and having a delivery outlet, an actuating frame for said valve mechanism associated with said coupling mechanism, rotation of said shaft causing first relative movement thereof with respect to the drum to release the coupling mechanism from the actuating frame whereafter said drum may be rotated any amount independently of the valve mechanism, said coupling mechanism being adapted upon reverse rotation of the drum to connect the drum with the actuating frame whereby said valve mechanism is actuated to connect the lower tank with the delivery outlet, and stops for stopping said frame after actuation thereof and thereby limiting the reverse rotation of said drum.

11. In combination, a drum, mechanism whose actuation is controlled by the rotation of said drum, a valve for controlling said mechanism, an actuating frame for said valve, two coupling members carried with said drum and each adapted in one position to engage with the actuating frame to prevent relative movement between said frame and drum, and each adapted in another position to be free from said frame, means for moving either coupling member to its other position whereby said drum may be rotated independently of the frame, said other coupling member retaining its first position to co-act with said frame upon reverse rotation of the drum whereby said frame is moved to actuate the valve.

12. In combination, a drum, mechanism connected with said drum to be actuated thereby upon rotation thereof, a valve for controlling said mechanism, an actuating frame for said valve, two coupling members carried with the drum, each coupling member in a normal position serving to prevent relative movement between said drum and frame and adapted to assume another position to be free from said frame to allow relative movement between said drum and frame, an actuating shaft mounting said drum, and a member carried by said shaft and adapted upon relative movement between said shaft and drum to move one of said coupling members from its normal to its other position whereby said drum may be rotated independently of the frame in one direction, said other coupling member retaining its normal position to co-act with said frame upon reverse rotation of the drum to cause actuation of the valve.

18. In combination, a drum, mechanism connected with said drum to be actuated thereby upon rotation thereof, a valve for controlling said mechanism, an actuating frame for said valve, two coupling members carried with the drum, each coupling memher in a normal position serving to prevent relative movement between said drum and f nine and adapted to assume another position to be free from said frame to allow relative movement between said drum and frame, an actuating shaft mounting said drum, a member carried by said shaft and adapted upon relative movement between said shaft and drum to move one of said coupling members from its normal to its other position whereby said drum may be rotated independently of the frame in one direction, said other coupling member retaining its normal position to co-act with said frame upon reverse rotation of the drum to cause actuation of the valve, and stops for limiting the relative movement of said frame and drum.

14. In combination, a drum, mechanism connected with and controlled by the rotation of said drum, a valve for controlling said mechanism, an actuating frame for said valve having project-ions adjacent said drum, dogs carried with said drum and adapted in one position to co-act with said extensions to prevent relative movement between said drum and frame, and means for moving one of said dogs away from said projections to allow relative movement of the drum in one direction with reference to the frame, the other dog retaining its position to engage with said extensions to cause movement of the frame with the drum upon reverse rotation of the drum whereby said frame is moved to actuate the valve.

15, In combination, a drum, tanks suspended from said drum to be relatively raised and lowered upon rotation of said drum, a valve controlling flow to and from said tanks, an actuating frame for said valve having projections, two dogs carried with said drum, each dog in a normal position being free to pass by said extensions to allow relative rotation between said drum and frame in one direction, and being adapted in said normal position to co-act with said extensions to prevent relative rotation of the drum and frame in the opposite direction, and means for moving either dog to its other position to allow such relative movement and for retaining the other dog in its normal position to cause rotation of the frame upon reverse rotation of the drum whereby said frame is carried with the drum to actuate the valve.

16. In combination, a drum, tanks suspended from said drum to be relatively raised and lowered upon rotation of said drum, a valve controlling flow to and from said tanks, an actuating frame for said valve having projections, two dogs carried with said drum, each dog in a normal position being free to pass by said extensions to allow relative rotation between said drum and frame in one direction, and being adapted in said normal position to co-act with said extensions to prevent relative rotation of the drum and frame in the opposite direey tion, means for moving either dog to its other position to allow such relative move ment and for retaining the other dog in its normal position to cause rotation of the frame upon reverse rotation of the drum whereby said frame is carried with the drum to actuate the valve, and stops for limiting the rotation of said frame.

17. In combination, a drum, tanks connected with said drum to be vertically relatively adjusted upon rotation of said drum, a valve for controlling flow to and from said tanks, two dogs rotated with the drum, an actuating frame for said valve having extensions associated with said dogs, each dog being adapted to glide bysaid extensions when the drum is rotated in one direction and to co-act with said extensions when the drum is rotated in the opposite direction, and means for moving either dog away from said extensions to allow said drum to be rotated in said opposite direction and independently of said frame and valve, said other dog retaining its position to co-act with said extensions when the rotation of said drum is again reversed, said frame during such reversal being carried with the drum to effect actuation of the valve.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day of February, A. D.,

JARVIS R. BURROlVS. \Vitnesses CHARLES J. SCHMIDT, NELLIE B. DEARBORN. 

